The Irish Hockey Association (IHA; Irish: Cumann Haca na hÉireann) is the governing body for the game of (field) hockey throughout the island of Ireland. The IHA was formed in 2000 by the merger of the (men's) Irish Hockey Union (founded 1886) and the Irish Ladies Hockey Union (founded 1894). This followed a 1998 decision of the International Hockey Federation to affiliate only one association per nation.
The Association has eight affiliated Branches that govern the sport at regional level. The five women's hockey Branches are Leinster, Munster, Connacht, Ulster and South East, with three men's hockey Branches existing in the form of Leinster, Munster and Ulster. Plans exist to merge the men's and women's branches to mirror the National merger.
168 clubs and 280 schools are affiliated to the IHA through membership of the regional unions.
Famous quotes containing the words irish and/or association:
“The next forenoon we went to Oldtown.... The Indian is said to cultivate the vices rather than the virtues of the white man. Yet this village was cleaner than I expected, far cleaner than such Irish villages as I have seen.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“In this great association we know no North, no South, no East, no West. This has been our pride for all these years. We have no political party. We never have inquired what anybody’s religion is. All we ever have asked is simply, “Do you believe in perfect equality for women?” This is the one article in our creed.”
—Susan B. Anthony (1820–1906)